Sanguination
by Traci
Summary: Goren and Eames must track down a modern-day vampire to stop the killings but when he sets his sights on Eames will anyone be able to stop him?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Only wish they were mine, then I'd be rich!  But, alas, they are not my creation.  They are the creation of Dick Wolf who, at this time, seems to be the second most successful creator on TV only under Jerry Bruckheimer.  Heaven help us if they ever join forces!!!

Rating:  PG-13 for alluded to gore.

Spoilers: None

Category: Case, drama.

Author:  Traci

Archiving and feedback:  Yes to archiving at amorous intent – anyone else merely ask.  Feedback to traci_ann@yahoo.com 

Summary:  A young woman is found dead with puncture wounds on her neck.  She seems to have been involved with vampirism.  Will Eames be the next victim?

Author's Notes:  Okay, I'm scaring myself with all the dark stories I've been writing of late between CI and CSI.  I swear to everyone I am obsessed with the Cartoon Network and MacGyver – really!!!  I can't explain this dark side at the moment but hey, it's getting fics written hehehe.  

An additional note: This was supposed to have gotten out for Halloween but, due to writer's block beyond my control, it obviously didn't.  So, uh, Merry Christmas?? Hehehe.

As usual special thanks to Tracy for reading over this for me and brainstorming with me.  I guess Aussies are good for something after all hehehe.  KIDDING!!

Sanguination 

With long, pale fingers he motioned to her from across the room.  The glint in his eye sparkled beneath the flashing lights.

She smiled.  She knew what he wanted.  It was what they were all there for.  Bidding farewell to her friends, she slowly walked along the edge of the dance floor.

His smile was erotic.  Warming yet ice cold all in one.  Without a word, he took her hand in his and led her out the backdoor.

********************

"Eames, Goren, they found a DB in an alley down near the South Street Pier."  Deakins sighed.  It had been a bad week.  More murders that just never seemed to end.  If the calendar had not told him otherwise, he may have sworn it was a full moon.

The two detectives gathered up their coats and left.

*************************

The officer on the scene greeted them.

"I'm Detective Goren and this is Detective Eames."

He nodded.  "Body's this way."  He led the down a small, narrow alley filled with garbage.  

A large rat ran over Eames shoes.  She jumped.  "That thing should be on a leash," she commented and her partner chuckled.

Approaching the body, both put on latex gloves.  Goren crouched down to look over the victim while Eames looked around the immediate area.

"She was into vampirism," he commented.

Eames walked back to him.

"See… there are traces of black lipstick," he told her, pointing to her lips.  "And the eye shadow."  He paused, looking over the body a bit more.  "There are… puncture wounds on her neck."  Looking up to Eames, he continued.  "We may be looking at a cult.  Isn't there a… nightclub mid-town that is geared towards vampires?"

She nodded.  "Yeah.  It's just off Times Square."

Goren stood up and turned to one of the officers.  "Have there been any others like this?"

"No," he answered shaking his head.  "As far as I know this is the first one in years."

"Then there have been others?"

"I think about ten years ago or so.  It was listed as a cold case.  No suspects.  I'll look into it more and send over the file."

"Thank you," Eames said then looked up at her partner.  "Let's see if modern day vampires have an aversion to sunlight."

*******************

Goren pulled up in front of the 'Clubsylvania'.  

"Don't know how we ever missed hanging out here after work," Eames said with a grin.

"Perhaps we could have our Christmas party here this year," he teased.

They walked up and tried the door.  It was locked.  Eames knocked.  No answer.

"We can't exactly go in without a warrant," she sighed.

Saying nothing, Goren looked around for a moment then took off across the street.

Eames followed him into a family-owned deli.

"Do you know where the owner might be?" he asked the young woman behind the counter.

She shrugged.  "He's really weird.  Probably sleeping in a coffin somewhere right now."

"We need to ask him a few questions."  Eames held up her badge.

"I really don't know where he lives or anything.  He comes in here just before we close every night and orders a very rare burger."

Goren and Eames thanked her before leaving.  Once outside he looked down at his partner.  "Have any special plans for this evening?"

"Yep.  Meeting a vampire for dinner."

*******************

Darkness had claimed the city long ago but Eames and Goren remained seated in a far corner booth waiting.

Goren glanced at his watch.  "It's almost eleven.  I don't think he's showing up tonight."

Eames sighed and looked out the window.  "Club is still dark.  They were supposed to open an hour ago."

"If he is our killer then he may have skipped town." Goren paid the waitress.  

Eames took out her cell phone.  "I'll call Carver and see about getting a search warrant."

ADA Carver yawned as he answered the phone. "Hello?" he mumbled.

"It's Eames, we need a search warrant."

He looked at the clock.  "Do you know what time it is?"

"Yes."

"What evidence do you have?"

"A closed nightclub."

Carver closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  "That's it?"

She explained the situation to him.

"No judge will give you a warrant.  There's not enough evidence to link the victim to the club."

When Eames shook her head at Goren, he took the phone.  "We need to get in there."

"Like I told Alex, there's not enough evidence to issue a search warrant.  Find some kind of connection between the two and I'll do whatever it takes to get one for you."

Goren hung up and handed the phone back to Eames.  "Let's go around back."

Without a word she followed him.  

The alley behind the club was much the same as the one where the girl's body had been dumped.

Upon spotting numerous blood stains on the wall and the ground, Eames said, "I'll call the CSU immediately."

Nodding his acknowledgement, Goren walked over to a nearby dumpster.  Carefully lifting the lid, he peered in.  "Call Carver, we have a connection."

Eames walked up behind him and stood on her tiptoes to look in.  Lying atop the trash was what appeared to be the victims' clothes.  "Bobby, we're going to have to wait until the lab results are in."

He sighed.

"I want this guy just as much as you do," she comforted.

**********************

Two officers had remained outside the club all night but no one showed up.  The lab results confirmed the clothes did belong to their murder victim.

Goren and Eames sat quietly at their desks.

"Alex, how do you feel about a little undercover work?" he asked quietly.

She looked over at him.  "I don't think I have what it takes to pass as a vampire wannabe."

He gave her a small smile.   "A black wig, dark makeup…"  His smile faded.  "But you're probably right.  I think the only way we are going to find where the vampires are meeting now is to become one of them though."

"I'll call vice," she offered, picking up the phone.  "I'm sure they have someone who could fit the part."  Upon hanging up, she said, "They're going to send someone over this afternoon.  She's finishing up a case right now."

"Thank you."  He clicked the mouse on his laptop.  "I may… have found something." 

Eames got up and walked over to him, standing beside him.

"There… this chat room.  It's for practicing vampires in the city."  He pointed to the screen.  "They are talking about a gathering.  Perhaps another site for the club members to meet."

Eames leaned in closer to the screen to read some of the posts.  "Whatever they are talking about it's happening tonight."

Goren typed a message posing as a twenty-something female vampire and posted it.

For a moment the chat room remained inactive.  Then a private IM popped up on the screen.  It asked him for specific information.  He glanced up at Eames.

She reached over and typed a response.  "We'll have to save this so the girl from Vice will know what to say."

The person known as 'bldgvr' replied back, giving the location of a new club that was vampire friendly.

Goren looked at Eames who grinned back.  "You sure you don't want to do this?" he asked.

"Typing anonymously on the computer is one thing…"

*****************

Two hours later, while they were waiting for the officer from vice to arrive, Eames' phone rang.  "What?   No, I understand."  She hung up, sighed, and looked to Goren.  "Feel like shopping?"

"For what?"

"Vice can't spare anyone.  The officer they were going to send got tied up with her case and there's no one else available."

He grinned.

"You keep grinning like that and you can go undercover."

********************

Within a short time the two detectives returned to the precinct with the apparel Eames would need for that night.  She immediately set out to the bathroom to change.  Forty minutes later she returned, grateful that is was well past eight pm so not many co-workers were around.

Goren stopped what he was doing when he saw her approach.  "You know, I may know of a great Halloween party…"

She glared at him.

"Alex, you fit the part perfectly."  He studied everything about her.  From the black hair wig to the dark eye makeup and lipstick.  Her outfit was a tight-fitting, low-cut black mini-dress complete with black hose and spike heels.  She looked nothing like his partner.  He walked over to her, wire in hand.  "The question is… where do we put this?"

Seeing the humor reflected in his eyes, she grabbed it from him.  "I can take care of that myself, buddy."

He laughed as she once again disappeared to the bathroom.

When she returned they tested the wire system.

Deakins stepped out of his office.  "Goren, where's Eames and why aren't you interrogating that person in the interrogation room?"

Goren tried not to laugh when Eames turned to face Deakins.  "Because I'm not being interrogated," she hissed.

"Eames?  I thought vice was taking this."

"Change of plans.  They didn't have anyone to spare."

Biting back a smile, Deakins glanced at Goren.  "You're watching her I take it?"

"Already wired."

Deakins nodded.  "You know, I was thinking of having a Halloween party…"

"Don't start," Eames warned.

Goren laughed.  "I already suggested one."

With a small nod, Deakins headed back to his office.  "Be careful."

**********************

It was nearing midnight when Goren pulled up to the curb a few blocks from the new club.  "All kidding aside, Alex, be careful.  I'll be right outside but…"

She smiled and rested her hand on top of his.  "I was in vice for six years.  I'll be fine."  Opening the door, she stepped out and leaned down.  "Beside, like you said, you'll be right outside."  She shut the door and walked down the block.

Goren watched her closely.  He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself but something bothered him.  Something he could not put his finger on as being more than a gut feeling.

*******************

Eames casually strolled up to the side-alley door, gave the password to the bouncer and was admitted.  They scanned her for weapons but nothing showed up.  Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the darkness of the room.  All around her people dressed similar to her were sitting, dancing or talking.  She turned down the test-tube of pigs' blood offered to her by a waitress.  

"Alex?"  Bobby whispered through her earpiece.

"Nothing yet," she mumbled back.  Scanning the room, she found a man sitting by himself in a far-off corner.  "I may have found him."  

As she approached, the man looked up at her and smiled.  His dark eyes sparkled.  Long, pale fingers extended out beckoning her towards him.

***********************

Goren sat in the car down a side street.  He slowly sipped the hot coffee while listening to what was happening in the club.  Suddenly the wire went fuzzy.

"Alex?"

Nothing.  Just interference.

"Alex!"

Nothing.

Grabbing his gun, he ran towards the club.

*************************

Eames slid in the booth seat across from the mysterious man.  "Are you 'bldgvr'?" she asked seductively.

He gave a nod but no verbal response.

She smiled.  "It's nice to find others like me.  I'm new to the city."

His bony fingers reached across the table and caressed her cheek.

Maintaining her composure, she met his eyes.  He stood up and urged her to follow him to the back.

She obeyed his wish.

*************************

Goren pushed his way past he bouncer and maneuvered through the sea of people inside.  He saw no sight of Alex.  As he reached the back of the club he noticed the backdoor just closing.  Nearly breaking the door, he rushed outside into the back alley.

"Freeze!" he shouted.

The mysterious man turned around.  Alex, however, showed no sign of hearing him.

"NYPD."

The man grinned, holding Eames' arm.  "You have nothing on me."  He turned to walk away, taking Eames with him.

Goren ran after them, grabbing hold of Eames just as they turned the corner onto the main street.

She turned to face him.  The eyes staring back at him were empty.  Looking around, he was surprised to see the suspect had disappeared in a matter of seconds.  Leaving Eames alone for only a moment, he looked both ways down the street but saw nothing.  He returned to Eames, put his gun away and rested his hands on both her arms.  "Alex?  Are you alright?"

Empty eyes continued to stare back at him.

"I'm getting you to the hospital," he told her, leading her back to the car.

****************************

Goren was pacing the floor of the waiting room when the doctor appeared.  

"How is she?"

"Mr. Goren, she's been drugged.  The lab is running tests now to see with what but…" He hesitated.  "She's still, for lack of a better term, spaced out on whatever it is."

"Is she going to be alright?"

"I believe so, but I can't honestly say until I know what she was given.  You may see her now if you wish.  Maybe seeing a familiar face will help bring her out of it."

Goren nodded and walked towards her room.

Pausing in the doorway, he took in the site of his partner lying motionless on the bed.  Her makeup was gone as was the wig.  She was his Alex again – almost.

He closed the door behind him, pulled a chair up to her bedside and took her hand.  She continued to stare at the ceiling.  "I shouldn't have let you do this," he whispered, his voice shaking slightly.  "I'm sorry I let you down.  I'm sorry I didn't get there sooner."

Startled by the gentle squeeze from her hand, he looked at her.  "You are still in there.  Come back to us, Alex.  Come back to me."

Goren's focus remained on his partner even as he heard the door behind him open.  "How is she?" Deakins asked, stepping into the room.

"She was drugged," he stated simply.

"Where were you?" 

Slowly, Goren looked up at him.  "I let her down.  I nearly got her killed."  His gaze once again fell upon Eames.

Deakins watched him for a moment.  "Goren…"  He paused.  "I didn't mean it like it sounded.  This isn't your fault."

"It is.  I shouldn't have let her do this.  At the very least I should have gone in with her."

"You wouldn't have blended in," came a strained whisper.

Both men stared at Alex and slowly both men smiled.  

"Welcome back, detective," Deakins told her.  Looking to Goren he said, "I'll see what I can find out from the doctor."

Eames' eyes focused back on her partner once again.  "It wasn't your fault," she told him.

"I'm your partner.  I'm supposed to protect you."

In spite of herself, Alex chuckled. 

Goren gave her a half-grin.  "That… that didn't quite come out right."  He was about to continue but Alex's yawn stopped him.  "Deakins should be back in a moment."

The doctor walked into the room followed by their Captain.

Checking Eames' vitals, the doctor looked to the two men.  "I need to speak to her alone."

"I'm her partner," Goren argued.

"I understand that but with the new privacy act in place…"

"It's okay, they can stay," Eames told him.

With a slight nod, the doctor began.  "We found traces of LSD in your system.  It wasn't enough to have done this so I had further tests run.  It seems the LSD was mixed with a substance we have yet to identify."

"But I didn't drink or touch anything."

"Did he make any contact with you?"

Alex thought for a moment.  "He touched my face."

Sighing, the doctor continued.  "I believe your suspect may have built up an immunity to the effects, or else the drug was on a sleeve or glove or something.  It is easy to transfer through touch."

"I…"  Alex took a deep breath.  "I hadn't thought anything of it, but when he touched me I did feel a little prick… almost like a bug bite."

"What about side-effects?" Goren asked.

"I honestly can't say.  Having no idea what the other substance is, I can't tell you what to expect."  He turned back to his patient.  "I do want to keep you here for at least a day or two for observation.  Maybe in that time we'll have some more answers."

As he left, Deakins said, "Take all the time you need."  Pausing, he smiled.  "I'm just glad you're alright."

Alex watched Goren as he watched the others leave.  "Go home, Bobby, get some sleep," she said.

His attention returned to her.  "Not until the other officers get here."

*****************************

The following morning Alex awoke in her hospital bed to find Bobby sitting beside her on a chair.  "Don't you have a home?" she yawned. 

"You're awake."

"Yes, I am."  She studied his face for a moment.  "What happened?"

"N… Nothing.  I just wanted to make sure you were going to be alright." 

"Robert Goren, you are a terrible liar, at least when lying to me.  What happened?" she asked as she propped herself up in the bed.

His eyes met hers.  She was alive.  So far she was the only victim who had lived.  "There was another body found this morning."

She sighed.  "As soon as I get out of here…"

"You'll be going home," he stated knowing where she was going with her thought.

"No.  I need to be in on this one."

"Alex, we don't even know what he gave you with the LSD.  Deakins will never go for it either."

Her brown eyes found his and held his gaze.  "I *need* to be involved with this one."  When he did not respond, she continued.  "It's not your fault this happened.  Blaming yourself will not catch the guy."

"Doctor says you can get out of here later today."

"Finally."  She sat up and stretched.  "I'm sick of being here."

He grinned at her.  "There's only one catch."

Alex groaned.  "What?"

"You need someone to stay with you for a night or two."

"I am quite capable…"

"Not my suggestion – doctors' orders.  It's they only way I was able to convince him to let you leave."

"I guess I could call my brother," she conceded.

"If… yeah, you could."

Eames looked over at him.  "What were you going to suggest?"

He shrugged.  "I figured I could, maybe, but if you'd rather…"

She smiled.  "I don't want to be any trouble."

"Never.  I figured I could stay on your couch."

Alex laughed.  "Yes, because the couch will be so comfortable for you.  But if it gets me out of here today, then I will be the one more than willing to sleep on the couch."

*****************

Tired of arguing with Bobby and just plain tired, Alex did not put up a fight when he carried her overnight bag for her and helped her out of the car and up the stairs to her apartment.  She was just grateful to be out of the cold, sterile confines of the hospital room.

"Do you want something to eat?  I can cook something up or order take-out or whatever you want," Bobby offered while he poured her a glass of ice water.

She smiled as she stretched out on the couch.  "I'm not really hungry, but go ahead and do whatever you want."

He handed her the water then sat on a chair beside the couch.  "You have to eat."

"I've been eating," she argued.  "I swear if a nurse made me look at another tray of hospital food…"

Goren chuckled.  "How about something light?  A sandwich maybe?"

"Grilled cheese?"

"Anything you want."

When he returned a few minutes later he found her fast asleep.  Placing the sandwich on the table, he carefully lifted her up and carried her into her bedroom.  He stood and watched her for a few minutes before turning off the light while leaving the door open a crack.

Settling on the couch, he turned on the TV and picked up the sandwich.  He was just in time to catch his favorite guilty pleasure, 'Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'.  Halfway through the episode, he heard soft footfalls and turned to see his petit partner walking towards him.  "Alex?"

She smiled and joined him on the couch.  "I just woke up and couldn't get back to sleep.  What are you… SVU?"  She chuckled.  "I never figured you for a fan of this show."

"Why not?  They've done an incredible job with keeping it very true to life and realistic."

Alex shook her head.  "You ate my sandwich," she pouted.

"I'll make you another."  He stood up only to have her pull at his arm.  

"I was kidding, Bobby.  Sit down.  Finish watching the show.  I'm just going to get saltines or something.  Do you want anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

When she returned from the kitchen, she sat closely beside him on the couch.  

This worried him.  Turning off the TV as the credits rolled by, he turned to her.  "Do you… want to talk about it?"

She shrugged.  "What is there to talk about?  Every time I close my eyes I see him, I feel him."  Her eyes slowly found his.  "I have to see this through so it can end for me."

Bobby stared at her, unsure what to say or what to do.  Before he had a chance to make a decision, his cell phone rang.  "Goren."

Eames watched him.  She knew.  "Where?" she asked as he hung up.

"Lower East Side," he told her, standing up.  "I… will you be alright?"

She nodded and stood up as well.  "Cause I'm going with you."

"Alex…"

"I have to.  I need to."

With a hesitant nod, he waited for her to change.

**********************

Goren showed the officer his badge then he and Eames proceeded to the body.  

"Same as the others," one of the forensics officers told them.  "Please tell me you guys have some idea who's doing this."

Glancing at Eames, Goren told him, "We're still working on it."

The forensics team stepped back to let Goren examine the body.  

No one noticed the way Alex's body stiffened.

No one noticed the panic fill her eyes.

No one noticed the hard shiver run through her.

No one but one.

"Eames?  Eames?"  

She jumped at the feel of strong hands on her shoulders.

"Alex?"

"I… I'm sorry," she whispered.  "I got distracted.  What did you find?"

He studied her face.  "No.  I'm taking you home.  Now."

"Gor…"

"No argument this time, Alex." 

************************

By the time Bobby pulled up to her building the interior of the car had turned to ice though the heater was on.  

She was ticked and he knew it, and she was sure he knew it.

"Alex…"

She said nothing, only opened the car door and walked to the door.

Goren sighed.  These were the times he should leave his partner alone but, given the circumstances, it was the last thing he was about to do so he followed her only to have her apartment door slammed in his face.

"Alex!"

"Just go away," she shouted through the door.  "Leave me alone."

"No."

There was no response.

"Just don't trip over me in the morning when you come out," he shouted back through the door.  "I'll be sleeping right here."

A few minutes later he heard her unlock the door and opened it.  "You have a key," she mumbled.

"What happened back there?"

She walked away.  "Nothing."

In two long strides he was behind her and turned her towards him.  "That was not 'nothing'.  What happened?  Is it the drugs he gave you?"

Alex took a deep breath.  "I don't know.  Maybe.  I just felt like… like someone was watching me."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it's absurd.  It's insane.  It's stupid.  It's…"

"None of those things."  He led her to the sofa and knelt down before her.  "Maybe you should… take some time.  Go away somewhere."

"I'm not running away, Bobby.  You know me better than that."

He held her hands tightly.  "I'm really worried about you."

She smiled at him.  "Don't be.  He can't hurt me again as long as you're around."

"He did before," he reminded her softly.

Sliding one hand from his, she reached out and touched his face.  "And you were there to keep him from killing me.  We're cops, Bobby, danger comes with the job."

"I'm your partner.  My job is to protect you."

If not for the deep hurt and sincerity in his voice, she might have burst out laughing.  Instead, her heart broke for the man in front of her.  The man who chose to take on all his pain as well as hers.  Leaning forward, she placed a feather-light kiss on his lips then looked into his eyes once again.  "You do protect me but this is something I just need to do.  I need to be on this case.  I'll go crazy if I stay stuck in my apartment hiding."

Still reeling from the kiss, his mind was working to catch up.  He swallowed hard.  "Just tell me when something like that happens again.  Don't keep things from me.  Not now.  Not with this guy still out there." 

Her eyes sparkled.  "I promise.  So now, get up off the floor and tell me what you found out there."

"Not much.  Same style.  She was probably drugged as well."

She yawned and it was only then he realized how many hours she had been awake.  "Alex, get some sleep.  If you don't you'll end up back in the hospital."

Eames got up but halfway across the room she hesitated then turned back to her partner.  "Bobby, do you think..?"  She shook her head.  "Nevermind.  Goodnight."  She closed her bedroom door behind her.

He thought for a moment before getting up.  Lightly he tapped on the door.  "Alex, can I come in?"

"Yeah."

He opened the door and held his breath.  She looked so much like a scared child who had awoken from a nightmare.  "I… would you mind if I sat in here for a little while?"

Confusion clouded her eyes.  

"It would make me feel better," he told her as he sat on a chair beside the bed.  He had seen the fear in her eyes when she said goodnight.  She was afraid to be alone but would not admit it so he would take the blame.  "I… just want to make sure you're safe." 

Slowly a smile spread across her lips.  How he knew her so well she was not sure but she was grateful.  "As long as it makes you feel better," she told him before snuggling down on her pillow.  "If that chair gets too uncomfortable my bed is big enough for two."

His eyes widened but he said nothing.  

******************

"Bobby, where are you?"  She searched her room but found no sign of her partner.  "Bobby!"

"He's no longer with us, Alex dear."

Her blood ran cold.  

She shivered beneath the touch of bony fingers.

His eyes glowed.  "Join me.  Join us."

"Bobby!  What did you do to Bobby?"

"He would not follow."

Tears filled her eyes.  "He… he only wanted to protect me."

The intruder grinned.  He teeth glimmered in the dim light of her bedroom.  "He failed."  Holding out his hand to her, he said, "Come with me.  It is your destiny.  We are bound to each other for eternity."

Her eyes were drawn to his.  "I…"  Slowly she reached out to him but drew her hand back quickly as if too close to the fire.  "No.  I will not go with you."

He snarled.  "You will come with me.  You will do as I say."

"NO!"  She closed her eyes and felt her body shake violently.  "NO! Leave me alone."

"Alex!"

Her eyelids flew open.

She stared.

"Alex, come out of it.  Come on."

With trembling hands, she reached out and touched his face ignoring the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"It was only a nightmare, Alex.  Come on."  Bobby held her face in his hands and softly stroked her tear-stained cheeks.

"B…Bobby?"

He nodded.  "You're alright, Alex," he softly told her.

Wrapping her arms around him, she held him tight.  Her fingers clawed at his back in an attempt to hide within him.

Goren held her as well.  In his heart were tears he shared with his partner.  In his eyes… in his eyes were daggers meant for the killer who had done this to her. 


	2. Chapter 2

Against the advice of her partner, Eames went to work the next morning.  

"Goren!"

Bobby and Alex looked at each other from across their desks.

"Close the door behind you," Deakins told him when he entered.  "What is she doing here today?"

Glancing back at Eames, Goren said, "I tried to talk her out of it but…"

"Take her home," he sighed.

Goren turned back to his boss.  

"What is it?"

"I think you should let her stay."

"What aren't you telling me?"

Goren sat for a moment, contemplating.  "What if it had been you or I in that situation?  Would we stay home and do nothing or continue to work till we caught the guy?"

"We… I…" Deakins sighed and sat back in his chair.  "You win.  Do you think she can handle it, though?"

"I hope so."

He avoided her look when he returned to his desk.

"What did he want?"

"The usual.  Yell at me for something or other."

She watched him fiddle with a file.  "He told you to send me home, didn't he?"  When he didn't look up she had her answer.  "I'm staying."

Finally he looked at her.  "That's what I told him."

Her defenses dropped and she smiled, a real smile, at him.  "Thank you.  Now, where is the file for… Heather McGarrity?"

He handed over the file he had been playing with.  "Just waiting for the ME's report which should be in at any moment."

"The other victim…"  She leafed through some papers.  "Jennifer Olney… it says she had the same drug cocktail I did.  My guess is Heather will also be the same.  So that tells us he may be a pharmacist or dealer or…"

A woman handed a manila envelope to Goren who immediately opened it.  "Or a sanguinarian."

"What?"

Goren handed the report across to her.  "A… sanguinarian is someone who feels a physical need to drink blood."  He paused.  "It is a word currently used to describe HLV's."  Off the look from his partner, he added, "Human Living Vampires." 

"I don't get it.  If he has a need to drink blood he can get it just about anywhere.  A butcher or…"

"Human blood.  He… appears to crave only human blood."

Her face paled at the thought.

"Maybe," Bobby continued, "Maybe he needs fresh, warm…" 

"I get the details.  Please.  Unless you want me to lose my lunch before I even eat it," Alex jumped in.

Concern, not amusement, filled his eyes when he looked at her.  The comment was Alex but… but the look in her eyes was something he could not decipher.  

"He could easily get willing participants," she told him.  "Vampire clubs are filled with people who are there to do that.  So why drug them?"

"He gets off on it," Bobby stated.  "Just drinking the blood isn't fulfilling for him.  He needs the control.  The ultimate control.  He… He wants to be the fictional version of Dracula.  He wants to be… be able to make them…"  Goren paused.  "His concubines.  Those who will follow him just from one look."

"Then why kill them?"

He flipped through some more papers then looked up at her.  "Because all of the victims he chose happened to be single, independent women.  He probably did not… realize that when he chose them and as the drug started to wear off they began to… take control back from him."

"He should have done his homework a little better about modern-day women in New York," Alex mumbled.

A small smirk formed.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing.  Just missed you, that's all."

Crumpling a piece of paper into a ball, she threw it at him.  "Now that we know why he does what he does, where do we find him?"

Goren sat thoughtfully for a moment.  "He's on the net.  If he was in a chat room before he is probably still lurking there now."  Turning on his computer, he logged into the chat room they had found him in before.

Eames got up and walked over, sitting on the edge of his desk to look at the screen.

Neither one had made mention of the kiss or the nightmare yet both felt the change between them.  Both sensed their relationship had progressed beyond casual friendship – to what, neither understood but they were comfortable and as Alex leaned in close to him they secretly reveled in the closeness.  They needed the closeness.

"There he is."  Goren pointed to the handle on the screen.

"You'd have thought he would have at least changed his screen name," Alex mentioned.

Remaining quiet, Bobby read the postings.  "He's not posting."

"Maybe he's in a private IM."

Goren made up a new screen name and logged in again.  It took only a few seconds for him to receive a private IM from their killer.

"Not the smartest guy," Eames snorted.

Sliding his chair over, he let Alex respond to the IM message.  

"Alex."

"Yeah?" she asked, not looking up from her typing.

"Stop."

She did and looked at him.

"He knows it's you."

"What?  How could…?"

'You're more beautiful without the costume,' popped up on the screen.

Alex could not control another cold shiver as it ran through her.  Her fingers started shaking as they rested on the keyboard.

'You will always be mine, Alexandra,' came another message.

Physically removing her hands from his keyboard, Goren disconnected from the chat knowing there was no way to trace it.  Still holding both of her trembling hands in one of his, he gently pulled her up from the chair and headed into Deakins office, closing the door.

Deakins' jumped up from his chair and helped Goren get Eames to a chair.  "What happened?"

"We found him in a chat room again," Goren told him. 

Deakins looked at Eames.  "You're off the case and I'm sending you to a safe-house with twenty-four hour protection."

"Captain, no.  I'm fine.  It just shook me for a minute," she said without real conviction.  What had that animal done to her mind?

"Look, I trusted Goren's judgment in letting you stay on the case but not now.  Not after this."

"But…" she started.

"No.  You are going home right now and getting what you need then I am sending you away.  Alex, he's killed at least four women that we know of and let's face it, we know there are many more than that.  He almost had you and he's apparently not going to let go until he does get you… Which I am not going to let happen."

Goren had remained silent.  He felt her eyes fall upon him for support but he couldn't.  He agreed with Deakins.  It wasn't worth her life.

"Fine!" she hissed.  "Seeing as my own partner doesn't have faith in me either…"  She slammed the door behind her.

Deakins had expected Goren to take off after her and was surprised to see the large man still sitting.  "Bobby?"

Still without a word, Goren left the office.

"You could've stuck up for me back there," Alex growled while gathering her things.

He looked at her and all her anger subsided.  "What is it?"

But Goren just continued to look at her without speaking.

"Bobby!"

"Do what Deakins wants," was all he said as he grabbed his coat and left.

The anger that had only moments before subsided returned twice as strong.  

******************

Alexandra Eames was not used to feeling like a caged animal, but that was the exact feeling she had as she paced the floor of the apartment where she had been taken.  Two officers were stationed outside her door while another two were given the duty of staking out the entrance to the building.

What irritated her even more was the fact that Goren had deserted her.  He had not said a thing to Deakins in her defense and then had vanished.  Tears welled up at the thought that he had not even gone with her to the safe house to make sure everything was alright.  To make sure she was alright.

She wrapped her arms tightly around herself as another icy shiver ran through her.  Figuring them to be side effects of the drugs, she turned the heat up higher and sat on the edge of the bed.  Maybe…  She sighed heavily.  Maybe she had scared Goren when she had kissed him.  It was the most innocent of kisses but maybe he…  

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.  With a smile she got up.  Bobby was the only one she knew who would knock that softly.  Opening the door, she jumped back when the two bodies of the guards fell in atop one another.  She reached for her gun but long, pale fingers stopped her.

In an instant her eyes met his.

"I knew you'd be mine," he told her, pushing her back into the room and closing the door behind him.

"How did you…?"

He reached up and touched her face.  "Do you not realize we are… connected?"

Eames struggled against her captor but soon she felt a familiar sensation course through her.  He had touched her.  The drugs!  Her efforts to scream were muffled by his hand over her mouth.  

"Relax.  Let it take you over.  Let me take you over."  He led her over to the bed and sat her down on it, removing her gun from its holster on her side.  "You won't be needing this."

She wanted to fight.  Her mind was screaming at her to fight.  Her muscles were warm and felt as if they were melting away.  Her thoughts were becoming blurred once again.  'Bobby, I'm sorry,' was her last thought as the drugs consumed her consciousness.

**********************

Goren pinched the bridge of his nose before glancing at his watch.  Pushing the books aside, he ran out of the library.  Praying he was wrong, he sped all the way to the apartment where Alex had been sent.  He had read about the theories before but had never met anyone who practiced.  

Pulling up to the curb he looked around and saw no one there.  Fear gripped his heart as he swung the car door open and ran inside.  

He began to tremble when he saw no officers standing outside of her door.  

He ran down the hall and banged on the door.

No answer.

Kicking the door down, he stumbled over the bodies of his fallen colleagues, losing his gun in the process.

"Ah, Detective Goren, nice of you to join us."

Standing, he froze.  Alex, while still clothed, was passionately kissing the guys neck paying no attention to what was going on around her.  "You… you know how to make them do this," Goren said as calmly as he could while fighting the urge to pull Alex away and shoot the guy.

The killer grinned.  "I knew you would be a good match for me mentally just as I knew your partner would be a good match for me…"  He kissed her on the lips then looked back at Bobby.  "Physically."

Goren's muscles clenched yet he managed to keep control.  "How did you do it?  It's only been theory until…"  He motioned to his partner with his hand.  "Until now."

"Theory to simple-minded people.  The brain is a fascinating thing, as you well know."

Alex purred and nuzzled the killer's neck as she began moving to plant kisses on the other side of his neck.

Goren looked to a nearby chair and sat down.  "You still have not told me how you managed to do it."

"In my homeland I was able to experiment with… things… you would not be able to do here in this country."  He gently pushed Alex aside so he could get up and close the door.  "It was many years of trial and error," he continued, turning back to Bobby.  "But I finally found the right combination that would allow me to control the mind from distances."

Goren nodded while trying to keep an eye on his partner.  "But… you… lose control after a certain amount of time?  Is that why you killed them?"

The killer sat beside Eames once again, who was all over him causing Goren to cringe.  "The test subjects in my land were not as, shall we say strong-willed as the women here."  Again he glanced at Alex and smiled.  "But I do believe I have fixed that problem."

"Make him go away," Alex murmured as she ran her fingers through the killer's hair.

"My darling, he is for you."

She looked at him then over at her partner with a sneer.  "What a pleasure it will be."  Sliding off the bed, she strolled over to Goren.

He remained silent as she began running her tongue along his jawline.  He made no movement as she placed soft kisses along his neck.  He pushed her aside and shot the killer point-blank when she handed him her gun that was resting on the table behind him. 

The room stood still.

Eames swallowed hard.  "Is he…?"  Her voice quivered.

Goren, still holding the gun, checked for a pulse then turned to Alex and nodded.  In one step he was standing in front of her.  "Are you okay?"

She slowly nodded without looking at him.

"If you weren't drugged why didn't you shoot him?"  

Her eyes still trained on the body, she swallowed hard.  "He… he did drug me but when my mind started clearing up my gun was out of reach then you showed up and… and it was the only thing I could think of to buy time."  She broke down and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

Turning their bodies so he was facing the killer, he reached into his pocket and called 911.

************************

Alex had made no objections to being taken to the hospital, especially since she had been unable to stop vomiting once the police had arrived at the hotel room.  The drugs were partly the reason but the other reason had to do with the close, physical contact she had forced herself to have with the killer to catch him.

Bobby rode in the ambulance with her.

Six hours had passed since then.

Goren held his partner's hand as she lay in a restless sleep in yet another hospital bed.  He was humbled by the depth of her trust and faith in him   She had risked her life, had forced herself to have physical contact with the killer all on the belief that he, Robert Goren, her partner, would somehow show up.  His heart clutched in his chest when he thought about what could have happened.  When he had left her at the office she had been angry with him.  What if he had not arrived in time?  What if she thinking he had abandoned her?  What if…?. 

He sat up straight when she started tossing in the bed.

"Alex," he whispered, gently squeezing her hand.  

"NO!" she screamed.

"Alex, wake up."

Her scream had brought a nurse running in.  She checked her vitals while Bobby continued to try to soothe her in her sleep.

She tossed more.

Bobby looked up to the nurse for permission to wake his friend.

She nodded.

Gently, he grasped Alex's shoulders.  "Alex, it's over."

Opening her terror-filled eyes, she quickly settled upon seeing Goren and the nurse there. 

Smiling, the nurse quietly left.

"Is it really over, Bobby?" she asked trying to catch her breath.

"Yes.  He's still dead.  I…I called the morgue to make sure."

Despite the situation, she chuckled softly.  "Such a typical Goren thing to do."

He merely smiled and sat back down on the chair, still holding her hand.

"What were you talking about back there?  What was he doing?" she finally asked.

"It can wait until you're out of here."

She shook her head.  " I want to know now.  Did he figure out how to control minds?"

With his other hand, Bobby reached over and lightly traced her hairline.  "He thought he had," he told her with a voice so soft that it made her feel safe and secure for the first time in days.  "There are a small number of people who… believe they are the… direct descendents of the fictional Dracula.  There have been rumors that some of these people have… much in the fashion of true Voodoo, figured a way to control people."

"But from a distance?"

"He wasn't really controlling your mind, Alex."  His hand rested on her shoulder.  "He figured out who we were that night he first drugged you.  He followed us."

"So I wasn't imagining it when I thought someone was watching me that night?"

"Probably not.  You're still as sane as the rest of us."  He smiled.  "Well, more sane than me," he joked.  

"And the drugs?"

He shrugged.  "We may never know what he used.  No one has been able to come up with an identity for him yet so we don't know where he came from."

She nodded.  "Bobby?"

"Yeah?"

"I just want to go home."  Her eyes pleaded with him.

"I'll find the doctor.  I'll be right back."

An overwhelming emptiness hit her when the door closed, leaving her alone in the room.  Her would-be killer was dead.  She was safe.  A cold breeze flowed over her, causing her to shiver.

Bobby returned with the doctor and ran right to her when he saw her shivering.  "Alex?"

She was shaking.

The doctor realized what was happening and left the room, returning a few seconds later.  "I'm sorry, Alex, someone must have turned the air conditioning on by accident."

Her eyes met with Bobby's and both shared the same thought.  Was this how it was going to be every time she felt a shiver?

"The tox report came back," the doctor began.  "You actually had less in your system than before so if you have someone to look after you," he glanced across the bed at Bobby, "Then I can get you released within half an hour."

"She has someone," Goren confirmed.

"Good.  Then I'll get started on the paperwork now."

"Thank you, Bobby," she whispered.

He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to him.  "I just want to know one thing."  He pulled back just enough to see her eyes.  "How did you know I would show up when I did?"

Gathering her thoughts, she said, "I was really ticked off at you, but rationally I knew you wouldn't desert me.  I knew you had to be onto something for you to just leave me like you did.  When he got there I… I really only had hope to hold onto.  You've never let me down before and you thankfully didn't start tonight."

"You took a horrific chance. What if I hadn't shown up?  What if…"  He couldn't finish the thought.

"I would have let him kill me before I let him rape me."

"Well I have to tell you, you were quite convincing."

She smiled.  "Six years in vice finally paid off."

***********************

"I'm looking for Detective Goren," boomed a male voice.

Eames looked up from her paperwork.  "Wow, Bobby, you realm of friends never ceases to amaze me," she teased.

He looked over and groaned.  Standing across the room was a tall man with long hair and a beard wearing leather pants and carrying a helmet.  "Hide me."

Laughing, Eames said, "I think that would be a bit difficult.  See, sometimes being so short isn't a bad thing."

The man walked over to Goren's desk.  "You owe me."

"Not now, Frank.  I'm working."  He pretended to be absorbed in the file on his desk.

The man did not move.

"May I help you with something?" Eames asked nicely.

He turned to her.  "No, Ma'am.  I need Goren for this."

She bit back a smile.  Her partner was blushing.  This had to be good.

"Frank, please, I'll talk to you about it after work."

The visitor thought for a moment.  "Okay.  Central Park, West side.  Seven," was all he said before he left.

All amusement gone, Alex was worried.  "Bobby?"

He shook his head.  "It's nothing."

She sighed.  In her third week back at work since the incident with the vampire wanna-be, she had finally managed to get everyone to treat her like normal and not like some china doll that needed protecting.  Her partner had been the toughest of all to get to change but now it seemed as if he were back in full-protection mode once again.

"Fine, get yourself killed," she murmured, breaking a pencil in her hand in the process.

As quitting time approached, Bobby glanced over at Eames.  "Hey, Alex?"

"What?" 

"That thing with Frank, it's really nothing.  Do you want to go with me?  We could get something to eat afterwards.  It'll only take a few minutes."

She looked at him.  "What's it all about?"

"He did me a favor.  I… I promised I'd meet his sister in return."

Eames nearly choked.  

"It wasn't my choice.  But it was a huge favor."

"Hey, I don't want to intrude on any date."

He laughed.  "That's not tonight.  I just have to get the information from him.  So?"

"Sounds good.  Sounds better than going home and trying to find a movie to watch," she admitted.  She hadn't told him about the nightmares that still plagued her.

*****************

There was a gentle, brisk breeze as they strolled through Central Park.  It was cool yet it was comforting.  Autumn had always been Eames' favorite season and Bobby couldn't help but smile at the way she subtly tried to step on every crunchy leaf as they walked.

When they reached the designated area, they saw Frank standing off in the distance.  "I'll be right back," Bobby told her.

She watched him for a little while then started kicking around leaves and looking up at the brightly colored trees whose color was fading quickly with the sunset.

"Alex?  Can you come here for a minute?"

She followed the sound of his voice then stopped atop a small incline.  Her eyes blurred with tears.

Bobby walked over to her.  "This was actually the big favor I asked him for."

She opened her mouth but no sound came.  Looking up into his eyes, she leaned up on her toes and pulled his face down so she could touch his lips with her own.

Frank cleared his throat.  "Sorry to interrupt, but I have to go."

Alex just kept smiling while Bobby thanked him.

Returning his attention to his partner, he asked, "Do you like it?"

"I love it, Bobby."

Set up inside a white pagoda was a candle-lit table complete with red roses and strings of lights hanging from the outside.

He took her hand and led her over to the building.  "I, uh, don't know why I… I uh,"

Alex laughed.  "I've never seen Robert Goren stammer before."

He blushed for the second time that day.  "I know you're not really a flowers and candy kind of girl but…"

"But coming from the right guy, it's the most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me," she quietly admitted as she sat down.

He smiled and sat beside her.

She leaned over and once again kissed him, this time they allowed the kiss to deepen, forgetting about the food before them.

Breaking only in need of air, she wiped away a tear from his eye.  "What do you say we eat and then finish things somewhere else later?"

"Anything you want, Alex," he grinned.  "Anything you want."

The End


End file.
